Conjoined Class-Based Networking

ABSTRACT

A data communication network includes two logically distinct class-based networks conjoined by at least one common node that has membership in each of the respective classes of the two logically distinct class-based networks. Optionally, three or more class-based networks may be conjoined to form a data communications network.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a U.S. continuation patent application of,and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to, U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/870,265, filed Jan. 12, 2018, which is a U.S. continuationpatent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/620,344, filed Sep. 14, 2012, whichis a U.S. continuation patent application of, and claims priority under35 U.S.C. § 120 to, U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No.12/767,561, filed Apr. 26, 2010, which nonprovisional patent applicationpublished as U.S. patent application publication no. 2010/0265042, whichpatent application and any patent application publications thereof areincorporated by reference herein, and which '561 application is acontinuation patent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§ 120 to, U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/701,451,filed Feb. 5, 2010, which nonprovisional patent application and anypatent application publications thereof are hereby incorporated hereinby reference, and which '451 application is:

-   -   (a) a U.S. continuation-in-part patent application of, and        claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to each of        -   (i) U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No.            12/608,837 filed on Oct. 29, 2009, pending, which patent            application and any patent application publication thereof            are incorporated by reference herein,        -   (ii) U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No.            12/609,009 filed on Oct. 29, 2009, pending, which patent            application and any patent application publication thereof            are incorporated by reference herein, and        -   (iii) U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No.            12/607,040 filed on Oct. 27, 2009; and    -   (b) a U.S. nonprovisional patent application of, and claims        priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to, U.S. provisional patent        application Ser. No. 61/150,298, filed Feb. 5, 2009, which        provisional patent application is incorporated by reference        herein.

Additionally, the present application herein incorporates by referenceeach of: U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/109,494; U.S.provisional patent application No. 61/109,496; U.S. provisional patentapplication No. 61/109,500; U.S. provisional patent application No.61/109,502; and U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/109,505; andeach of the following U.S. patent application publications and U.S.patents:

Application No. Patent No. Earliest Publication No. 12/140,253 — US2008-0303897 A1 11/930,782 — US 2008-0212544 A1 11/930,788 — US2008-0165749 A1 11/930,797 — US 2008-0151850 A1 11/930,740 — US2008-0150723 A1 11/930,770 — US 2008-0144554 A1 11/930,785 — US2008-0143484 A1 11/930,736 — US 2008-0143483 A1 11/930,753 — US2008-0142592 A1 11/306,765 7,394,361 US 2008-0136624 A1 11/930,749 — US2008-0130536 A1 11/930,779 — US 2008-0129458 A1 11/930,793 — US2008-0112378 A1 11/930,761 — US 2008-0112377 A1 11/930,777 — US2008-0111692 A1 11/847,309 — US 2007-0291724 A1 11/847,295 — US2007-0291690 A1 11/832,998 7,378,959 US 2007-0273503 A1 11/832,9917,378,958 US 2007-0268134 A1 11/832,979 7,378,957 US 2007-0268126 A111/610,427 — US 2007-0159999 A1 11/618,931 — US 2007-0155327 A111/555,173 — US 2007-0099629 A1 11/555,164 — US 2007-0099628 A111/425,047 — US 2007-0069885 A1 11/465,466 — US 2007-0043807 A111/465,796 — US 2007-0041333 A1 11/193,300 7,438,334 US 2007-0024066 A111/161,540 7,200,132 US 2007-0004431 A1 11/424,850 — US 2007-0004331 A111/424,849 — US 2007-0004330 A1 11/161,550 7,430,437 US 2007-0002808 A111/428,536 — US 2007-0002793 A1 11/428,535 — US 2007-0002792 A111/424,847 — US 2007-0001898 A1 11/423,127 — US 2006-0289204 A111/424,845 — US 2006-0287822 A1 11/425,040 — US 2006-0287008 A111/422,306 — US 2006-0282217 A1 11/422,304 — US 2006-0276963 A111/422,321 — US 2006-0276161 A1 11/422,329 — US 2006-0274698 A111/306,764 7,391,321 US 2006-0237490 A1 11/161,542 — US 2006-0023679 A111/161,539 7,209,468 US 2006-0023678 A1 11/161,545 7,221,668 US2006-0018274 A1 10/514,336 7,209,771 US 2005-0215280 A1 10/987,9647,155,264 US 2005-0093703 A1 10/987,884 7,133,704 US 2005-0093702 A110/604,032 6,934,540 US 2004-0082296 A1 09/681,282 6,745,027 US2002-0119770 A1

Each of the foregoing patent application publications and patents ishereby incorporated herein by reference for purposes of disclosure ofclass-based network (CBN) technology, wake-up (WU) technology, andclass-based networks that utilize such technologies (such as those ofTeraHop Networks, Inc. of Alpharetta, Ga.), and systems employing suchtechnologies including, inter alia: (1) implementations in the firstresponder context; (2) implementations in container tracking andmonitoring context; and (3) implementations in equipment tracking andmonitoring, especially rental construction equipment. It is intendedthat the CBN and WU technologies, and related features, improvements,and enhancements, as disclosed in these incorporated references may beutilized in combination with various embodiments and implementations ofthe present invention.

Additionally, patent application Ser. No. 11/460,976, and anypublications thereof, including U.S. patent application publication no.US 2008-0315596 published on Dec. 25, 2008, are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyrightprotection under the copyright laws of the United States and othercountries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimilereproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure,as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all othercopyright rights whatsoever are reserved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some conventional systems for tracking and/or monitoring assets (hereingenerally referred to as “asset tracking systems”) utilize wireless tagsthat generally respond to any broadcast that is made. The wireless tagsusually are passive, and the responses that the passive wireless tagsmake are often referred to as “chirps.”

More sophisticated conventional asset tracking systems utilizesemi-passive wireless tags and/or active wireless tags. A semi-passivewireless tag includes an internal power source for transmitting, and anactive wireless tag includes an internal power source for both receivingand transmitting. Semi-passive and active wireless tags generally havegreater capabilities than passive wireless tags due to the internalpower sources. Of course, power consumption is always a concern when awireless tag includes an internal power source, since the internal powersupply limits the useful life of the wireless tag, after which timemaintenance is required (e.g., replacement of the internal powersource).

In improved asset tracking systems, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,934,540 and other of the above-incorporated patent applications andpatents, a wireless tag responds to a broadcast if the broadcastincludes a common designation matching a common designation of thewireless tag. Such a common designation may comprise, for example, an“asset class” associated with the wireless tag. Ad hoc networks furthermay be created based on such classes, which ad hoc networks are referredto as “class based” networks.

Class based networks (and common designation networks in general) arebeneficial because, in such networks, a communication device, such as awireless tag, generally only transmits a response to a broadcast if thebroadcast includes a class (or common designation) that matches a class(or common designation) of that communication device. Indeed, in acommunication device employing a wakeup sequence of one or more of thepatent references incorporated herein by reference, such communicationdevice does not even process a broadcast once it is determined that thebroadcast fails to include a matching class of the communication device.Consequently, the internal power supply of a semi-passive or activecommunication device is not drained by needless processing and/orresponses to broadcasts.

The present invention generally relates to wireless ad-hoc networks. Aneed exists for improvement in wireless network apparatus, systems, andmethods. These, and other needs, are addressed by one or more aspects ofthe present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention of the present application generally relates to networks,apparatus, methods and systems for determining the presence of a radiofrequency communication device within a wireless data communicationsnetwork, and especially for determining such presence in an ad hocwireless data communications network in which at least some wirelessdata communication devices forming nodes of the network are at leastperiodically mobile. In this context, the present invention includesmany aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and featuresrelate to, and are described in, the context of asset tracking systems,the present invention is not limited to use only in asset trackingsystems, as will become apparent from the following summaries anddetailed descriptions of aspects, features, and one or more embodimentsof the present invention. Indeed, the present invention is equallyuseful in remote sensor networks and the like for remote monitoring,whether such monitoring is the monitoring of assets or otherwise.

In a principal aspect of the invention of the present application, awireless two-way RF data communication device includes: a memory havingstored therein common designations of the wireless two-way RF datacommunication device; a receiver configured to receive radio frequencytransmissions; a transmitter configured to make radio frequencytransmissions; and electronic components. The electronic components arearranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF datacommunication device receives and processes communications as a functionof at least one of the common designations of the wireless two-way RFdata communication device being in the communication. The electroniccomponents further are arranged and configured such that each messagethat is received in a communication associated with a particular commondesignation of the RF data communication device, and for which thewireless two-way RF data communication device is not the destinationrecipient but, instead, is an intermediate recipient, is communicated:to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has thesame particular common designation, if such a wireless two-way RF datacommunication device is available; and if such a wireless two-way RFdata communication device is unavailable, to another wireless two-way RFdata communication device that has a common designation that is the sameas a common designation stored in the memory, if such a wireless two-wayRF data communication device is available.

In a feature, the two-way RF data communication device is a wirelesstransceiver that includes microprocessor capabilities.

In a feature, the two-way RF data communication device is a remotesensor node (RSN).

In a feature, the two-way RF data communication device is a wirelessreader tag (WRT).

In a feature, the two-way RF data communication device serves as awireless tag (WT).

In a feature, the common designations stored in the memory are classdesignations for use in class-based networks.

In a feature, the electronic components are arranged and configured suchthat the wireless two-way RF data communication device receives andprocesses only communications that include at least one of the commondesignations of the wireless two-way RF data communication device.

In a feature, the electronic components are arranged and configured suchthat the communications provided, if such a wireless two-way RF datacommunication device is unavailable, to another wireless two-way RF datacommunication device that has a common designation that is the same as acommon designation stored in the memory (if such a wireless two-way RFdata communication device is available) are performed only forpredetermined common designations and not for all common designations.

In a feature, the electronic components are arranged and configured suchthat the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectivelyoperates between at least a first state, in which the communicationsprovided if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device isunavailable, to another wireless two-way RF data communication devicethat has a common designation that is the same as a common designationstored in the memory (if such a wireless two-way RF data communicationdevice is available) are enabled, and in a second state, in which thecommunications are disabled.

In another principal aspect of the invention of the present application,a data communications network includes a plurality of wireless two-wayradio frequency (RF) data communication devices, each wireless two-wayRF data communication device forming a node of the data communicationsnetwork and each wireless two-way RF data communication device includinga memory having stored therein a common designation. Furthermore, atleast one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices furtherincludes a second common designation stored in the memory thereof The atleast one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices furthercomprises a receiver configured to receive radio frequencytransmissions; a transmitter configured to make radio frequencytransmissions, and electronic components. The electronic components arearranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF datacommunication device receives and processes communications as a functionof at least one of the common designations of the wireless two-way RFdata communication device being in the communication. The electroniccomponents are further arranged and configured such that each messagethat is received in a communication associated with a particular commondesignation of the RF data communication device, and for which thewireless two-way RF data communication device is not the destinationrecipient but, instead, is an intermediate recipient, is communicated:to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has thesame particular common designation, if such a wireless two-way RF datacommunication device is available; and if such a wireless two-way RFdata communication device is unavailable, to another wireless two-way RFdata communication device that has a common designation that is the sameas a common designation stored in the memory, if such a wireless two-wayRF data communication device is available.

In a feature, the first and second common designations stored in thememory of the at least one of the wireless two-way RF data communicationdevices are class designations for use in class-based networking.

In a feature, the electronic components of the at least one of thewireless two-way RF data communication devices are arranged andconfigured such that the communications provided, if such a wirelesstwo-way RF data communication device is unavailable, to another wirelesstwo-way RF data communication device that has a common designation thatis the same as a common designation stored in the memory (if such awireless two-way RF data communication device is available) areperformed only for predetermined common designations and not for allcommon designations. Moreover, the electronic components of the at leastone of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices may bearranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF datacommunication device selectively operates between at least a firststate, in which the aforementioned provided communications are enabled,and in a second state, in which the aforementioned providedcommunications are disabled.

In a feature, each node of the data communications network comprises awireless radio-frequency data communication device having a transmitterand a receiver that collectively receive and transmit informationwirelessly.

In a feature, each wireless two-way RF data communication devicecomprises a standards-based data packet radio component that includesboth said receiver and said transmitter of the respective wirelesstwo-way RF data communication device.

In a feature, the information is wirelessly communicated in data packetsin the data communications network.

In a feature, a plurality of the wireless two-way RF data communicationdevices are respectively attached to assets for monitoring and trackingof the asset.

In a feature, a plurality of the wireless two-way RF data communicationdevices are permanently affixed to a structure for monitoring and/ortracking assets that come within a proximity thereto.

In a feature, a plurality of the wireless two-way RF data communicationdevices each comprises a wireless transceiver that includesmicroprocessor capabilities.

In another principal aspect of the invention of the present application,and with respect to the context of a data network comprising a pluralityof wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication devices,each wireless two-way RF data communication device forming a node of thedata communications network, a method of communicating a message from anoriginating node to a destination node by way of intermediate nodesincludes the steps of: maintaining multiple class designations in memoryof a particular one of the wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) datacommunication devices forming a node of the network; and for eachmessage that is received by the particular wireless two-way radiofrequency (RF) data communication device in a communication associatedwith a common designation of the particular wireless two-way radiofrequency (RF) data communication device, and for which the particularwireless two-way RF data communication device is an intermediate nodewith respect to the message, forwarding the message: (a) to another nodeof the network that has the same particular common designationassociated with the message, if such another node is available; and (b)if such another node is unavailable, to another node that has a commondesignation that is the same as a common designation stored in thememory of the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) datacommunication device, if such a node is available.

In a feature, the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) datacommunication device receives and processes communications as a functionof at least one of the common designations of the particular wirelesstwo-way RF data communication device being in the communication.

In a feature, the first and second common designations stored in thememory of the particular wireless two-way RF data communication deviceare class designations for use in class-based networking, the particularwireless two-way RF data communication device conjoining at least twologically distinct class-based networks.

In a feature, communicating the message to another node that has acommon designation that is the same as a common designation stored inthe memory of the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) datacommunication device, but that is not the same as the common designationassociated with the communication of the message that is received, isperformed only for predetermined common designations and not for allcommon designations.

In a feature, the method further includes switching between at least twostates of operation by the particular wireless two-way RF datacommunication device, wherein said step (b)(ii) is not performed in thesecond state. The switching may be in response to a command that isreceived by the particular wireless two-way RF data communication devicein a wireless communication; in response to a sensed condition; may beperformed at predetermined times; or any combination of the foregoing

Another principal aspect of the invention of the present applicationcomprises a conjoined common designation network and may be aclass-based network.

Another principal aspect of the invention of the present applicationcomprises a method for conjoined common designation networks, such asclass-based networks.

Another principal aspect of the invention of the present applicationcomprises a data communication network comprising at least two logicallydistinct class-based networks conjoined by at least one common node thathas membership in each of the respective classes of the two logicallydistinct class-based networks.

Additional features of the foregoing principle aspects also are setforth elsewhere herein. In addition to the aforementioned aspects andfeatures of the present invention, it should be noted that the presentinvention further encompasses the various possible combinations andsubcombinations of such aspects and features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more preferred embodiments of the present invention now will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereinthe same elements are referred to with the same reference numerals, andwherein,

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a first plurality of remote sensor nodes and agateway;

and

FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a second plurality of remote sensor nodes and agateway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one havingordinary skill in the relevant art (“Ordinary Artisan”) that the presentinvention has broad utility and application. Furthermore, any embodimentdiscussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be partof a best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention.Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrativepurposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the presentinvention. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations,modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosedby the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of thepresent invention.

Accordingly, while the present invention is described herein in detailin relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that thisdisclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present invention, andis made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enablingdisclosure of the present invention. The detailed disclosure herein ofone or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, tolimit the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention,which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof.It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded thepresent invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitationfound herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps ofvarious processes or methods that are described herein are illustrativeand not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, althoughsteps of various processes or methods may be shown and described asbeing in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processesor methods are not limited to being carried out in any particularsequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps insuch processes or methods generally may be carried out in variousdifferent sequences and orders while still falling within the scope ofthe present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope ofpatent protection afforded the present invention is to be defined by theappended claims rather than the description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refersto that which the Ordinary Artisan would understand such term to meanbased on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that themeaning of a term used herein—as understood by the Ordinary Artisanbased on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from anyparticular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that themeaning of the term as understood by the Ordinary Artisan shouldprevail.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an”each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a pluralityunless the contextual use dictates otherwise. Thus, reference to “apicnic basket having an apple” describes “a picnic basket having atleast one apple” as well as “a picnic basket having apples.” Incontrast, reference to “a picnic basket having a single apple” describes“a picnic basket having only one apple.”

When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one ofthe items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Thus,reference to “a picnic basket having cheese or crackers” describes “apicnic basket having cheese without crackers”, “a picnic basket havingcrackers without cheese”, and “a picnic basket having both cheese andcrackers.” Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and”denotes “all of the items of the list.” Thus, reference to “a picnicbasket having cheese and crackers” describes “a picnic basket havingcheese, wherein the picnic basket further has crackers,” as well asdescribes “a picnic basket having crackers, wherein the picnic basketfurther has cheese.”

Referring now to the drawings, one or more preferred embodiments of thepresent invention are next described. The following description of oneor more preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in noway intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses.

FIG. 1 illustrates a data communications network in accordance with oneof many different preferred embodiments of the present invention. Thenetwork includes a gateway and a plurality of wireless datacommunication devices comprising remote sensor nodes (sometimes referredto, and hereinafter, “RSN”, “RSN” or simply “node”).

RSNs 111,113,115,117 are shown in FIGS. 1-4 together with a gateway 119.As illustrated, each RSN 111,113,115,117 lies within a transmissionrange (represented by the dashed circles in the figures) of eachimmediately adjacent RSN; RSN 117 lies within a transmission range ofthe gateway 119; and gateway 119 lies within a transmission range of RSN117. The RSNs 111,113,115,117 are configured for class-basedcommunications, and the classes of the RSNs 111,113,115,117 areillustrated in these FIGS. 1-4. Specifically, RSN 111 is a member ofclass “A”; RSN 113 is a member of class “A” and class “B”; RSN 115 is amember of class “A” and “C”; RSN 117 is a member of class “A” and class“D”. Additionally, in this example, none of these classes “A”, “B”, “C”or “D” is deemed to be a subset or superset of any of the other classes.The gateway 119 preferably is configured to communicate with any membersof these classes.

In accordance with a first class-based networking protocol, as morefully described for example in incorporated U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,745,027;6,934,540; 7,200,132; 7,209,468; and 7,221,668, the RSNs 111,113,115,117are configured to form class-based networks based on class memberships.As will be appreciated, because all of the RSNs 111,113,115,117 aremembers of the same class “A”, these RSNs form a class “A”communications network by which RSN 111 communicates with the gateway119 by hopping a message along RSNs 113,115,117, as shown in FIGS. 1-3,with RSN 117 communicating the message originated by RSN 11 to thegateway 119, as shown in FIG. 4. In this sequence of communications,each RSN 111,113,115,117 makes a respective class “A” transmission112,114,116,118, as represented in FIGS. 1-4.

In contrast to the class-based networking illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, adifferent networking protocol is now described with reference to FIGS.5-8. In these figures, RSNs 211,213,215,217 are shown in FIGS. 5-8together with a gateway 219. Each RSN 211,213,215,217 lies within atransmission range (represented by the dashed circles in the figures) ofeach immediately adjacent RSN; RSN 217 lies within a transmission rangeof the gateway 219; and gateway 219 lies within a transmission range ofRSN 217. The classes of the RSNs 211,213,215,217 are illustrated inFIGS. 17-20. Specifically, RSN 211 is a member of class “B”; RSN 213 isa member of class “A” and class “B”; RSN 215 is a member of class “A”and “C”; RSN 217 is a member of class “C” and class “D”. Additionally,in this example, none of these classes is deemed to be a subset or superset of any of the other classes, and the gateway 219 preferably isconfigured to communicate with any members of these classes.

In accordance with a the networking protocol illustrated in FIGS. 5-8,the RSNs 211,213,215,217 are configured to form networks comprisingseparate and distinct class-based networks that are conjoined by RSNsthat are members of more than one of the classes. In this respect, theRSNs that are members of more than one class (i.e., RSNs 213,215,217)communicate class-based messages of a particular class via class-basednetworks of a different class, in which the RSN is a member, whenclass-based communications within the class of the incoming transmissionare unavailable. These RSNs having multiple memberships thereby serve ascommunications bridges between—and that conjoin—otherwise logicallydistinct class-based communication networks. Such a network is referredto herein as a “Conjoined Class-Based Network” and such type ofnetworking protocol is referred to herein as “Conjoined Class-BasedNetworking”.

Specifically, RSN 211 communicates a message by making a class “B”transmission 212, which is received and processed by RSN 213, which alsois a member of class “B”. RSN 213, however, is unable to furthercommunicate the message within a class “B” network, as no otherintermediate RSN of class “B” is within transmission range forcommunicating with the gateway 219. Nevertheless, RSN 213 is a member ofclass “A” and therefore communicates the message by making a class “A”transmission 214, which is received and processed by RSN 215, which alsois a member of class “A”. RSN 215 is unable to further communicate themessage within a class “A” network, as no other intermediate RSN ofclass “A” is within transmission range for communicating with thegateway 219. Nevertheless, RSN 215 is a member of class “C” andtherefore communicates the message by making a class “C” transmission216, which is received and processed by RSN 217, which also is a memberof class “C”. RSN 215, which is within transmission range with gateway219, then communicates the message to gateway 219 by making a class “C”transmission 218 as shown in FIG. 8.

As will be appreciated, by utilizing a network comprised of distinct andseparate class-based networks joined by common RSNs having membership intwo or more of the classes, RSN 111 is able to send a message to thegateway 119 (and on to an external network if applicable via the gateway119) when class “B” networking to the gateway 119 is unavailable.

The message may be any message, such as a check-in message, a messagecommunicating an alert, or a message responding to an inquiry.Additionally, the networking may include deterministic ornondeterministic networking, as set forth in incorporated USPA Publ. No.2007/0002792.

In variations, each RSN may be configured in a first state in which suchconjoined class-based networking is enabled; in a second state in whichsuch conjoined class-based networking is disabled; and may beconfigurable between the two states based on detection of a condition,based on receipt of a command, based on predetermined times, or any ofthe foregoing. Moreover, an RSN may be configured for conjoinedclass-based networking for certain classes, but not for all classes,whereby excluded class-based networks do not participate in theconjoined class-based networks.

Also, as will be appreciated, in conjoined class-based networking, classcommonality or class continuity is required only for each hop betweenRSNs, and not for every RSN along the pathway from the originating RSNto the gateway (or similarly to a destination RSN if the message is notintended for communication to or through a gateway).

Based on the foregoing description, it will be readily understood bythose persons skilled in the art that the present invention issusceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments andadaptations of the present invention other than those specificallydescribed herein, as well as many variations, modifications, andequivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggestedby the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof, withoutdeparting from the substance or scope of the present invention.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein indetail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments, it is to beunderstood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary ofthe present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing afull and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosureis not intended to be construed to limit the present invention orotherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations,modifications or equivalent arrangements, the present invention beinglimited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.

In such a wireless network, another aspect of the invention includes amethod of maintaining, by a first node, information regardingcommunications links between nodes in the wireless network. The methodincludes the steps of: (a) for each communications link that isestablished with another node, recording an identification of the othernode; and (b) for each message received by the first node from the othernode through the communications link with the other node, recording anetwork pathway by which the message has been sent in the wirelessnetwork, the network pathway identifying the nodes and thecommunications links there between in the wireless network by which themessage has been sent.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, inassociation with the identification of the other node, data indicativeof a link quality between the first node and the other node.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, foreach message received by the first node from the other node through thecommunications link with the other node, data indicative of a linkquality between each communications link in the network pathway by whichthe message has been sent.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, inassociation with the identification of the other node, data indicativeof class designations of the other node.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, foreach message received by the first node from the other node through thecommunications link with the other node, data indicative of classdesignations of each node in the communications links in the networkpathway by which the message has been sent.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, foreach message received by the first node from the other node through thecommunications link with the other node, data generally indicative ofthe time at which the message has been sent via the network pathway.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, foreach message received by the first node from the other node through thecommunications link with the other node, a network pathway to adestination node by which the message is being sent if such networkpathway to the destination node is identified with the message.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes communicating,by the first node, the message to a subsequent node in the wirelessnetwork if the message is intended for receipt by a node other than thefirst node, including the steps of: determining whether one or morenetwork pathways are known by the first node from the first node to thedestination node of the message; communicating with just a single nodewithin the communications range of the first node if a single networkpathway to the destination node is known by the first node, the singlenode being the node identified next in the single network pathway afterthe first node, including sending, to the single node, the message, thesingle network pathway, and the link quality between the first node andthe other node from which the message was received by the first node;and (c) if more than one network pathway to the destination node isknown by the first node, then determining a preferred network pathwayfrom the known network pathways in accordance with an algorithm, andcommunicating with just a single node within the communications range ofthe first node, the single node being the node identified next in thepreferred network pathway after the first node, including sending, tothe single node, the message, the preferred network pathway and the linkquality between the first node and the other node from which the messagewas received by the first node; and (d) if no network pathway to thedestination node is known by the first node, then communicating with oneor more nodes within the communications range of the first node,including sending, the message and the link quality between the firstnode and the other node from which the message was received by the firstnode. Determining whether one or more network pathways are known by thefirst node from the first node to the destination node of the messagemay include searching the maintained information for a network pathwayfrom the first node to the destination node, and the maintainedinformation that is searched may include any network pathway to thedestination node that is identified with the message.

In features of this aspect, determining a preferred network pathway fromthe known network pathways in accordance with an algorithm includescomparing the general times at which messages were sent via the networkpathways; comparing the number of hops between nodes in the knownnetwork pathways; and/or comparing the overall link quality of the knownnetwork pathways.

In such a wireless network, another aspect of the invention includes amethod of maintaining information regarding communications links betweennodes in the wireless network includes recording, by a server, for eachmessage that is received by the server from the wireless network, anetwork pathway by which the message has been sent in the wirelessnetwork, the network pathway identifying the nodes and thecommunications links therebetween in the wireless network by which themessage has been sent.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, inassociation with the identification of the nodes and the communicationslinks therebetween in the wireless network by which the message has beensent, data indicative of a link quality for each communications link.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, inassociation with each network pathway by which the message has beensent, data indicative of overall link quality for the network pathway.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes recording, inassociation with each network pathway by which the message has beensent, data generally indicative of the time at which the message wassent via the network pathway.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes: (a)determining, based on the maintained information, a network pathway forcommunicating a message to a destination node of the wireless network,and (b) communicating the message to a gateway node of the wirelessnetwork together with the determined network pathway to the destinationnode.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes distributing,to one or more nodes of the wireless network, information regardingcommunications links based on the information maintained by said server.

In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes distributing,to one or more nodes of the wireless network, information regardingnetwork pathways based on the information maintained by said server.

In additional feature of the foregoing aspects, a message may becommunicated between nodes utilizing transmission control protocol(TCP), and messages may be communicated between nodes of the wirelessnetwork via data packets.

In addition to the foregoing methods in accordance with aspects theinvention, other aspects of the invention relate to wireless networksthat utilize such methods and, in particular, such wireless networksthat are ad hoc wireless networks. The wireless networks furthermore maycomprise class-based wireless network that may be utilized formonitoring and/or tracking assets.

In features of these aspects, a node of the wireless network may be adata communications device and include, for example, a standards basedradio such as a Bluetooth radio. The node may further includes awireless receiver for powering up the standards based radio upon receiptof a broadcast that is intended for the standards based radio. Thesecond wireless receiver further may perform a stepped wake-up sequenceof the standards based radio. The standards based radio further mayinclude a sensor interface whereby data is acquired by the datacommunications device from an associated sensor, and the wirelessnetwork may comprise a remote sensor interface (RSI) network.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for maintaining information regardingcommunication links between a plurality of nodes in a wireless network,the method implemented by a first node comprising: for eachcommunication link that is established with one or more other nodes,recording an identification of the other nodes; receiving a message, bythe first node from another node via the communication link with theother node, the message including a network pathway by which the messagewas communicated in the wireless network; communicating another message,via a network pathway, to a destination node in the wireless network,the communicating of the message by the first node including:determining whether one or more network pathways from the first node tothe destination node are known by the first node; and determining apreferred network pathway from the known network pathways as the networkpathway.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein if there is no known networkpathway from the first node to the destination node, the method furthercomprising: communicating with the plurality of nodes to determine thenetwork pathway to the destination node.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the determining the preferred network pathway from the knownnetwork pathways is based at least in part on a number of hops betweenthe nodes in the known network pathways.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein the determining the preferred network pathway based on anoverall number of hops of each of the one or more network pathways. 5.The method of claim 4, wherein the determining the preferred networkpathway from the known network pathways comprises comparing the overallnumber of hops of the known network pathways.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the determining whether the one or more network pathways fromthe first node to the destination node are known by the first nodeincludes searching the maintained information for the network pathwayfrom the first node to the destination node.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the maintained information that is searched includes any networkpathway to the destination node that is identified in the message.
 8. Awireless communication device operating as a node for communication in awireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the wirelesscommunication device comprising: a receiver configured to receive radiofrequency transmissions; a transmitter configured to transmit radiofrequency transmissions; a memory configured to maintain informationregarding communication links between the plurality of nodes in thewireless network; electronic components of the wireless communicationdevice configured to: for each communication link that is establishedwith one or more other nodes, record an identification of the othernodes; receive from another node, using the receiver and via thecommunication link with the other node, a message including a networkpathway by which the message was communicated in the wireless network;communicate another message, using the transmitter and via a networkpathway, to a destination node in the wireless network, thecommunication of the message including to: determine whether one or morenetwork pathways from the node to the destination node are known by thenode; and determine a preferred network pathway from the known networkpathways as the network pathway.
 9. The wireless communication device ofclaim 8, wherein if there is no known network pathway from the node tothe destination node, the electronic components are configured to:communicate with the plurality of nodes to determine the network pathwayto the destination node.
 10. The wireless communication device of claim8, wherein the determination of the preferred network pathway from theknown network pathways is based at least in part on a number of hopsbetween the nodes in the known network pathways.
 11. The wirelesscommunication device of claim 10, wherein the determination of thepreferred network pathway based on an overall number of hops of each ofthe one or more network pathways.
 12. The wireless communication deviceof claim 11, wherein the determination of the preferred network pathwayfrom the known network pathways comprises comparing the overall numberof hops of the known network pathways.
 13. The wireless communicationdevice of claim 8, wherein the determination of whether the one or morenetwork pathways from the node to the destination node are known by thenode, includes a search of the maintained information for the networkpathway from the node to the destination node.
 14. The wirelesscommunication device of claim 13, wherein the maintained informationthat is searched includes any network pathway to the destination nodethat is identified in the message.
 15. A wireless communication systemcomprising: a plurality of nodes configured for communication in thewireless communication system; a node of the plurality of nodesconfigured to maintain information regarding communication links betweenthe plurality of nodes in the wireless communication system, the nodeconfigured to: for each communication link that is established with oneor more other nodes, record an identification of the other node;receive, from another node via the communication link with the othernode, a message including a network pathway by which the message hasbeen communicated in the wireless network; and communicate anothermessage, via a network pathway, to a destination node in the wirelessnetwork, the communication of the message initiating the node to:determine whether one or more network pathways from the node to thedestination node are known by the node; and determine a preferrednetwork pathway from the known network pathways as the network pathway.16. The wireless communication system of claim 15, wherein if there isno known network pathway from the node to the destination node, the nodeis configured to: communicate with the plurality of nodes to determinethe network pathway to the destination node.
 17. The wirelesscommunication system of claim 15, wherein the determination of thepreferred network pathway from the known network pathways is based atleast in part on a number of hops between the nodes in the known networkpathways.
 18. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein thedetermination of the preferred network pathway based on an overallnumber of hops of each of the one or more network pathways.
 19. Thewireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the determination ofthe preferred network pathway from the known network pathways comprisescomparing the overall number of hops of the known network pathways. 20.The wireless communication system of claim 15, wherein the determinationof whether the one or more network pathways from the node to thedestination node are known by the node, includes a search of themaintained information for the network pathway from the node to thedestination node.